Golf Collection de Saumane, in the heart of Provence

By Claude Granveaud-Vallat

In 1989, the Golf de Saumane, a partner in the Golfy Network, finally saw the light of day facing the Vaucluse mountains and the Alpilles, at the gateway to the Luberon.

On this land dried by wind and sun, Jean Garaïalde was able to soften the terrain to lay out his fairways. The layout is technical, with ponds, low stone walls and vegetation that smacks of Provence. Between the pines, olive trees, cypresses, beds of laurel, lavender, rosemary and thyme, the little bridges spanning the streams and ponds, not to mention the judiciously placed bunkers, the elements are an integral part of a course where it's better to play softly than hard. The greens, which are fast and well protected, are fairly steep. They require good reading and a gentle touch!

The first few holes take you up and down the slopes, dipping in and out of the valleys before the 9th, a par 5 as long as it is narrow, heads back towards the clubhouse.

The return journey meanders in the same way through this mineral, windy setting, where the scents are powerful from spring onwards, when the bees are pollinating like crazy.

If you close your eyes, you can hear Pagnol and Giono, the men of letters who loved this land. On a summer's evening, once the clubs have been put away, the fountains light up over the ponds, while the Fontaines du Gerfaut table exudes the flavours of the land. Dinner on the terrace is an exquisite experience, lulled by the song of the cicadas in the warmth of the night.

Golf de Saumane
1141, route de Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
84800 Saumane-de-Vaucluse
+33 4 90 20 20 65
18T, par 72, 6063 m
Architecte : Jean Garaïalde (1989)